Love Lock

Chapter 141 The Mysterious Guest

Cao Xiong didn't know what kind of weapon that dark gun muzzle was, but with the muzzle pressed against his forehead, he still dared not make any rash moves.

Zhao Zun pinned Cao Xiong to the ground, pressing his knee firmly against his lumbar spine, and twisting his hands behind his back. Cao Xiong struggled, his eyes wide with anger.

"Zhao Zun! You dare touch me? His Majesty will not let you get away with this!"

Zhao Zun sneered, took out handcuffs from his pocket, and quickly cuffed Cao Xiong's hands.

"Cao Xiong, you incompetent fool, you lied about military intelligence and are unfit to be a commander! Your crimes are unforgivable! Today, we will seize you and send you to the capital to await His Majesty's judgment!"

Seeing this, Cao Xiong's personal guards struggled to rush forward to help, but as soon as they moved, a piercing pain shot through their calves. Some couldn't help but scream in agony.

"what!"

Zhao Zun's personal guards stared coldly at them, their pistols pressed firmly against the back of their heads.

Old Meng shouted sternly, "Anyone who dares to move again will have their head shot next!"

The guards immediately lost their spirit.

They lay on the ground, unable to see what had injured them, but the pain in their calves and the cold touch on the back of their heads told them that the guards were not joking.

Hearing the commotion, the soldiers in the camp stopped their drills and looked on with curiosity.

Seeing the current Marshal Cao Xiong being pinned to the ground by the former Marshal Zhao Zun, everyone stared in astonishment, whispering among themselves.

"What happened? How did Marshal Cao get captured by Marshal Zhao?"

"I heard it was a false report of military intelligence, and Commander Zhao is going to take him back to the capital!"

"Didn't you see? General Song was angered by his false report of military intelligence again."

"General Su and General Song must be cursing his ancestors for eighteen generations right now!"

"Hahaha……"

"Hey! Do you guys think Zhao Shuai will come back?"

"If Zhao Shuai can come back, that would be wonderful! Our brothers in Beiguan can see hope!"

The soldiers were discussing it animatedly, all hoping that things would develop in the direction they desired.

Zhao Zun stood up, glanced around, and announced loudly.

"Marshal Cao Xiong of Beiguan has been apprehended for providing false military intelligence and has been handed over to the capital to await His Majesty's judgment! The garrison at Beiguan will now be taken over by the former Marshal Zhao Zun!"

Wow! That's great!

"Haha, Zhao Shuai is back."

"As expected, Zhao Shuai stayed."

……

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers cheered and jumped for joy. No one objected; on the contrary, everyone looked happy.

Ling'an City's garrison commander, Wang Congfei, even led a group of soldiers over, smiling as he offered his congratulations.

"Commander Zhao, congratulations on your return to Beiguan! The brothers have been waiting for you to come back!"

Wang Congfei was in his forties, calm and steady, and highly skilled in martial arts.

Because his face resembled that of a monkey, while the soldiers in the army respectfully addressed him as General, his friends preferred to call him by his nickname—"Monkey."

Like Ma Cheng, he earned his place in the army over a decade through his own abilities, rising from a lowly soldier to his current position through the meritocratic leadership of Zhao Zun.

Zhao Zun smiled slightly and patted Wang Congfei on the shoulder: "Monkey, you've had a tough time these past few months."

Wang Congfei laughed and scratched his head.

"Commander Zhao, what are you saying? It's not hard work at all. We brothers are all at ease knowing we can fight alongside you again! Don't you all agree?"

"Yes!"

The soldiers, all smiles, answered in unison.

Just then, the Imperial Guards that Cao Xiong had brought from the capital rushed over. The commander of the Imperial Guards glared at Zhao Zun and shouted at him sternly.

"Zhao Zun! How dare you usurp military power without authorization! This is treason! We will definitely report your actions to the imperial court!"

Zhao Zun scoffed, his gaze turning cold: "Petition the court? You think you can do that?"

Upon hearing this, his personal guards immediately threw the bundles they were carrying onto the ground in front of them.

Swish! Swish! Whoosh!
Ten M16 automatic rifles made a dazzling appearance, their ten dark muzzles all aimed at the calves of the Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards stared blankly at their fluid movements, wondering what they were holding.

Old Meng said coldly, "The garrison at Beiguan has been taken over by Commander Zhao. As long as the brothers at Beiguan agree, that's all that matters. Anyone who dares to say another word will have their legs kicked."

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guards turned deathly pale.

They're clearly going to use force!
Someone couldn't help but take a few steps back, their voice trembling: "You...you dare to lay a hand on the Imperial Guards? That's treason! His Majesty will not let you get away with this!"

The word "Your Majesty" is what Lao Meng hates to hear the most now. Emperor Jing's actions have chilled his heart.

The princess is right—loyalty should only be given to those who deserve it.

So when the man mentioned "Your Majesty," Old Meng's face darkened, and he pulled the trigger.

"Bang!" A gunshot rang out, and the Imperial Guard who had mentioned "Your Majesty" screamed and fell to the ground.

It fell to the ground with a thud, the speed of which was astonishing.

The scene fell into a deathly silence.

They actually dared to attack the Imperial Guards. The Imperial Guards were terrified and retreated in fear, not daring to utter another word.

With the M16 in command, the dozens of Imperial Guards who had come to confront them with such arrogance were silenced in less than three minutes.

Zhao Zun lifted Cao Xiong off the ground, glanced at them coldly, and said indifferently, "Take them away and lock them up."

Having long been fed up with Cao Xiong and the Imperial Guards' attitude, Wang Congfei immediately responded and excitedly led his soldiers forward to tie up the Imperial Guards and take them away to be imprisoned.

After all this was done, Wang Congfei looked curiously at the M16s in the hands of his guards and couldn't help but admire them.

"Commander Zhao, your methods are truly admirable! I could study them for a lifetime."

Zhao Zun smiled slightly, his gaze friendly.

"The safety of Beiguan cannot be compromised. Cao Xiong and these Imperial Guards are nothing but clowns."

Wang Congfei nodded and solemnly said, "Marshal, we brothers swear to follow you to the death!"

Zhao Zun patted him on the shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers around him, his voice loud and clear.

"Brothers, Beiguan is our home, and we will not allow anyone to destroy it! From this day forward, we will regroup and defend Beiguan to the death!"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "We swear to defend the North Pass to the death! We swear to follow Marshal Zhao to the death!"

The sound was deafening, and the morale was soaring.

Zhao Zun smiled with satisfaction. As he wished, the garrison at Beiguan was successfully taken over, and he finally had his own army.

He had carefully considered the matter. He had commanded the Beiguan garrison for many years, had some prestige in the army, and had a deep bond with his brothers.

They were all brothers who risked their lives to protect the Great Jing Dynasty. Emperor Jing's suspicion of him was also a suspicion of the brothers in Beiguan. Many of the brothers had long since lost all hope.

If he wanted to consolidate his forces, he was confident he could persuade the garrison at Beiguan. The problem was, how could he successfully take down Cao Xiong and Li Gang without alerting the imperial court?
If we were to use Han Lei's advanced weaponry to directly storm Beiguan and capture Cao Xiong and Li Gang, we would certainly encounter resistance from them. The military camp is large, and innocent civilians would inevitably be harmed.

Moreover, even if he could forcefully take down Cao Xiong and Li Gang, without a good pretext, it would be illegitimate and would actually create many obstacles for him to take over the garrison.

The news that Cangzhou was sending supplies to the capital had been blocked by Luo Hai.

He believed that even if Cao Xiong and Li Gang were incompetent, they would definitely notify the court to postpone troop deployment as soon as the enemy retreated.

After all, this is a basic requirement for commanders and generals.

But he also believed that Luo Hai would definitely not allow the report to reach the imperial court.

Therefore, when the Xuzhou army appeared, he predicted that Song Yuanqing, who had made a long-distance raid, would definitely hold Li Gang and Cao Xiong accountable.

As long as they stay by Song Yuanqing's side, they can swagger close to Cao Xiong and Li Gang, seize their weaknesses, and his plan can proceed relatively smoothly.

He had expected it to take some effort, but to his surprise, the response from his brothers far exceeded his expectations. Once everyone's excitement had subsided, Zhao Zun slowly turned to Wang Congfei, who was standing to the side, and said, "Go and release those two brothers!"

Wang Congfei was slightly taken aback, then realized who Zhao Zun was referring to as his "brother".

The two guards Zhao Zun was referring to were the ones who betrayed his whereabouts when his family was kidnapped and threatened during the ambush.

After Xiao Zhengfei's investigation, their situation was indeed true. After the Turks withdrew their troops for the first time, he had sent his personal guards to rescue their families.

Because the military power was confiscated in a hurry, these two guards were not dealt with in time and are still in prison.

A young man named Zhang Huazi was not yet thirty years old.

The other one was named Qian Dafu, a lean middle-aged man around forty years old.

Wang Congfei nodded and turned to leave.

Zhao Zun dismissed the other soldiers and, with his personal guards, turned and entered the central command tent.

Old Meng and the others searched high and low in the tent and finally found the imperial military tally on the bookshelf, which they handed over to Zhao Zun.

Shortly after, Wang Congfei led two men in.

As soon as Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu entered the room, they knelt down with a thud, their foreheads pressed against the yellow earth, and they apologized in trembling voices.

"Your Highness! We deserve to die! We deserve to die! Please, Your Highness... please spare us this time! We will never dare to do it again!"

Zhang Huazi's voice was choked with sobs, while Qian Dafu was already in tears. Their shoulders trembled uncontrollably, as if they were carrying a heavy burden of guilt.

Zhao Zun looked at them quietly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He slowly rose, walked to the two of them, and reached out to help them up. His hands were warm and strong, but they sent a chill down their spines.

"I understand your situation."

Zhao Zun's voice was low and calm, as if he were stating something extremely ordinary.

"It's understandable that family members were kidnapped and held captive. But—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across their faces like a sharp blade.

"As my personal guard, betrayal is betrayal. I cannot entrust my back to someone who has betrayed me."

Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu's faces turned ashen instantly, as if their last lifeline had been mercilessly snatched away.

Their eyes were filled with regret, their lips trembled, and they wanted to say something, but found that they couldn't utter a single word.

Zhao Zun sighed, his gaze softening slightly. He gently patted the two of them on the shoulder, his tone reassuring.

"Although you can no longer serve as my personal guards, now is a time when I need men, and I am willing to give you a chance to redeem yourselves."

The two of them suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in their eyes, as if they had seen a ray of dawn in the darkness.

Zhao Zun continued, "I plan to rebuild a more robust and practical defensive fortification outside the barbican. You two, one in charge of Ling'an City and the other in charge of Yong'an City. First, recruit craftsmen and laborers. Once you have the blueprints, someone will guide you in the construction. If you do a good job, I will assign you more important tasks in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu's eyes immediately blazed with fighting spirit.

They knelt down again and kowtowed three times, their voices firm and powerful.

"Your Highness, rest assured! I know I was wrong, and I will definitely make amends by building up the defensive fortifications to the death!"

Zhao Zun nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

He waved his hand, signaling Wang Congfei to take them down to rest.

Wang Congfei stepped forward and whispered to the two, "Let's go and rest first. We'll arrange the specifics tomorrow morning."

Zhang Huazi and Qian Dafu stood up, bowed respectfully to Zhao Zun, and then followed Wang Congfei out.

Silence returned to the tent, with only the candlelight flickering gently in the breeze.

Zhao Zun stood still, his gaze passing through the tent flap as he looked out at the dark night sky.

His expression remained calm, but a hint of weariness and contemplation could be seen deep in his eyes...

As night fell and the hustle and bustle of Beijing gradually subsided, a guesthouse in a narrow alleyway still had its dim lights on.

Several mysterious guests wearing veils and cloaks quietly entered the inn.

As soon as the leading man entered, he said in a low voice, "Manager, bring a few superior rooms."

The clattering of the abacus beads abruptly stopped, and the shopkeeper, Uncle Liu, looked up from behind the counter.

"Gentlemen, please come inside..."

Liu Bogang was about to greet him when the man lifted his veil, revealing a dark and familiar face.

Liu Bo was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "Deputy Commander Ping?"

Pingchuan nodded slightly, his expression solemn. They had been carrying out their missions according to Zhao Zun's orders and had only arrived in the capital today.

Uncle Liu's heart tightened, and he hurriedly walked around the counter and quickly walked to the entrance of the inn.

He nervously glanced outside a few times, and after confirming that no one, Pingchuan and the others were following him, he quickly picked up the wooden planks and sealed the gate piece by piece, ceasing business operations.

Uncle Liu led them to the backyard, had the shop assistant bring over some wine and food, and then closed the door.

"Deputy Commander Ping, what brings you here?"

Uncle Liu turned around, his voice very low, with a hint of unease in it.

Pingchuan was the deputy commander of Zhao Zun's personal guards, and like him, he was not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial edict.

Their risky entry into the capital must mean that something significant has happened to Zhao Zun in Cangzhou.

Pingchuan didn't answer immediately, but gestured for Tantou and the others behind him to sit down and rest and eat first. He then took out two letters from his pocket and solemnly handed them to Uncle Liu.

"Uncle Liu, this is a letter from the Prince and Princess to you."

Uncle Liu took the letter, his fingers trembling slightly.

He first opened Zhao Zun's letter and began to read it carefully. As his gaze moved between the lines, his expression gradually became serious, his brows furrowed, and a hint of shock flashed in his eyes.

“His Highness, he… he wants to…” Uncle Liu raised his head, his voice trembling slightly. Before he could finish speaking, his eyes were full of questions.

Pingchuan nodded, his expression firm: "Your Highness, you understand what I mean."

Uncle Liu took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.

He lowered his head again and carefully read the contents of the letter. When he raised his head again, his face was full of solemnity.

"Please tell Your Highness that I have served in the Prince's mansion my whole life. Thanks to the care of the Master and Madam, my family is where we are today. My family is a member of the Prince's mansion in life and in death. Your Highness, please do whatever you wish. I trust your character. My family will be at your service in the capital at any time and will never fail Your Highness's trust."

Upon hearing this, Pingchuan smiled with relief.

"Uncle Liu, His Highness was right about you."

Uncle Liu nodded, then opened the second letter, which was a handwritten letter from Princess Han Lei.

He read it carefully, his expression gradually softening, and a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

"The princess still cares so much about this old servant."

Uncle Liu sighed softly, his tone tinged with emotion.

That charming and sweet woman, although she only stayed in the Prince's Mansion in the capital for a few days, respected and cared for them in every way, as if she never regarded them as servants.

Although the prince and princess were not officially married, they both adored the sweet and easy-going princess.

Pingchuan smiled slightly: "The princess has always been concerned about you and specifically instructed me to personally deliver this letter to you."

Liu Bo put away the letter, his eyes filled with determination: "Deputy Commander Ping, rest assured, this old servant will certainly live up to the expectations of the Prince and Princess. I will arrange things properly here in the capital."

Pingchuan nodded: "With your words, we are relieved. The Prince is doing well in Cangzhou, but the current situation is complicated, so we must act cautiously."

The two looked at each other for a moment, understanding each other without saying a word.

Night had fallen, and only the faint candlelight flickered in the inn, illuminating a few solemn faces.

The wind outside began to pick up, as if foreshadowing an impending storm.

I grabbed a fruit knife and am blocking this place to grab tickets. Thank you all so much for your support!